


empty nest.

by pyroallerdyce



Series: (not at all spooky) skywalkers series [october writing challenge 2020] [11]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1970s, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, One Shot Collection, Prompt Fic, Short One Shot, Tumblr Prompt, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000, october writing challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26955205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyroallerdyce/pseuds/pyroallerdyce
Summary: The mural was finished on the last day of September, and then on the first of October, they dug the Halloween decorations out of storage.  Anakin took over at that point, making sure that everything was exactly where he wanted it, and then he started to come home from work with a new decoration that he’d bought on his lunch break every other night.  Padmé knew that Halloween was his favorite holiday, and she knew that they were throwing their annual Halloween party two days before the thirty-first, but when every inch of the perimeter of the living room was covered in witches and ghosts and killer clowns, she just had to say something.“Ani, I think we have enough decorations.”or: the twins have gone off to college and both Anakin and Padmé have different ways of coping with them being out of the house.(these will really make little sense unless you read the whole series.)
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: (not at all spooky) skywalkers series [october writing challenge 2020] [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947904
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22
Collections: October Writing Challenge - 2020





	empty nest.

**Author's Note:**

> attempt to break my writer's block day 11. 
> 
> how is it day 11 already?
> 
> last strictly anakin/padmé one but they will appear in future ones. tomorrow, we've got luke/mara jade (of which there will be not as many in the next section as there are han/leia). so bookmark or subscribe to the series in order to keep track of it all since we're switching eras.
> 
> and as always, if you like what you read and you want to see more, please let me know via a comment or kudos or bookmark so that I know I'm not writing into a void. enjoy!
> 
> october 11: "I do not take Halloween too seriously."

**1976**

The twins had moved into their dorm rooms six weeks ago and the penthouse had never felt so empty. Luke still came over for dinner every Sunday night and he usually brought Mara along with him. Mara was lovely and they complimented each other well, both attending the same school with aspirations to become artists, and Padmé felt like it was only a matter of time before Luke was putting a diamond on Mara’s finger. She knew Anakin was wary of Luke wanting to commit his life to someone at such a young age, but she just reminded him that was what they had done and Anakin had no choice but to agree with that statement. 

Still, the thought of her eighteen-year-old son deciding to get married did give Padmé pause, but only because it made her feel incredibly old.

Anakin was insistent that she wasn’t though. Forty-eight was not an age which she should be afraid of. They were both older now than what his father had been when he died, and Anakin told her that meant they got to treasure moments that he never did. Padmé knew how much that meant to her husband so she stopped bringing up that she felt incredibly old.

She did not stop feeling that way, however.

Leia didn’t come home regularly, but she did call almost every night to speak to them, and through those phone calls, Padmé learned about the acting classes she was taking and boys she went on dates with who always turned out to be too boring for Leia to deal with. She couldn’t help but be relieved that her daughter wasn’t going to rush into things with someone the way Luke seemed ready to do with Mara. She would have more time before watching Anakin give their daughter away to her new husband.

Better not to think about that right now. It would only lead Padmé to tears.

Instead, she focused on redecorating the penthouse. Not because it needed it, but because she needed a distraction and that was the first thing that came to mind. Anakin didn’t know what to think when contractors showed up and Padmé started talking about taking down walls. But when the walls were down and suddenly the main living space was double the size and the kitchen could be expanded, he decided that Padmé had a good eye for design. 

That’s when he came up with the idea of the mural.

At first, Padme was against it. There was absolutely no reason for a painting like Anakin was talking about on the wall. But the more she kept looking at the wall Anakin had been talking about, the more she thought about what she could do on it. A field of wildflowers, a farmhouse in the distance. A lake on the left side with a small island in the middle that was covered in trees. The bluest sky imaginable with fluffy white clouds.

She was painting it before she even realized it.

The mural was finished on the last day of September, and then on the first of October, they dug the Halloween decorations out of storage. Anakin took over at that point, making sure that everything was exactly where he wanted it, and then he started to come home from work with a new decoration that he’d bought on his lunch break every other night. Padmé knew that Halloween was his favorite holiday, and she knew that they were throwing their annual Halloween party two days before the thirty-first, but when every inch of the perimeter of the living room was covered in witches and ghosts and killer clowns, she just had to say something.

“Ani, I think we have enough decorations.”

“What?” Anakin said, shaking his head. “No. We haven’t even gotten pumpkins yet.”

“Pumpkins, yes, but no more of anything else, okay?” Padmé replied. “We don’t need to decorate the entire penthouse, and it seems like that’s what you’re aiming for.”

“I just want things to be perfect for the party,” Anakin said. “I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“There is nothing wrong with wanting the penthouse to look good for the party,” Padmé said. “However, there does reach a point where there is too much stuff, and we passed that point a while ago.”

“I think you’re wrong.”

“And I think you’re taking Halloween too seriously.”

"I do not take Halloween too seriously."

Padmé sighed. “Anakin, you’re spending your lunch breaks looking for just the right ghost to hang up in a corner where we already have three different decorations. You’re taking it too seriously and I don’t know why.”

Anakin took a deep breath. “Halloween was my father’s favorite holiday and so it makes me feel close to him.”

“I already knew that,” Padmé responded. “That does not explain why you’re going overboard this year.”

Anakin took another deep breath. “I miss them,” he finally said. “And decorating for Halloween has been a distraction.”

Padmé instantly knew exactly what Anakin was feeling like. “They’re not here so you’re going to fill the penthouse with decorations instead.”

“Something like that,” Anakin murmured, and Padmé wrapped her arms around him.

“It’s okay, Ani. They were bound to grow up someday.”

“I know,” Anakin said, embracing her back. “Why did it have to happen so fast though?”

“Because that’s the way that things work,” Padmé said. “If there is one thing that no one on this planet can control, it’s the passage of time and the aging of ourselves.”

“You’re right. I know you’re right. But I just want to turn back the clock and have our babies back again.”

Padmé laughed. “I don’t.”

“You don’t?”

“Maybe for a couple of hours, a day at the most, but not permanently,” she replied honestly. “I loved them when they were that age but taking care of them was so difficult.”

“I remember,” Anakin said, kissing Padmé softly. “And you’re right. Going back to that time would only be frustrating, because we’d just have to watch them grow up all over again.”

“Exactly,” Padmé said, breaking their embrace when the phone began to ring. “I’ll go answer that. You decide where the ghost you find is going to go because it can’t go into that corner. There’s too much stuff there already. We really need to rearrange the entire room.”

Anakin smiled as Padmé walked away from him. “So I can keep buying things?”

“You can do whatever it is you need to do,” Padmé called back. “After all, you let me tear down walls. I can let you buy Halloween decorations!”

Anakin laughed and walked into the living room, looking around at the decorations. Padmé was right. There was too much in that corner and everything needed to be rearranged. Before he even realized it, he was moving things around, and when Padmé came back into the room, she stood there and watched him for a moment.

It was good to know that Anakin needed distraction too. It was good to know that he missed the twins as much as she did. Even if all of that meant that it looked like a haunted house had exploded in her home. 

It was good to know she wasn’t alone in feeling lonely

The door to the penthouse opened then, startling both Anakin and Padmé. Padmé went to see who it was and found Luke and Mara there holding greasy bags in their hands. Smiling, Padmé shook her head. “You brought food here but you didn’t bring any for your father and me?”

“Who said there’s none for you, Mama?” Luke said, giving her a hug. “We got everyone cheeseburgers and fries.”

“Did I hear someone say cheeseburgers and fries?” came Anakin’s voice, and he walked into the entryway with a big smile on his face. “It’s so good to see you two.”

“It’s good to see you too, Dad,” Luke said, giving Anakin a quick hug before heading to the kitchen. “Come on, let’s eat before this gets cold.”

The three of them followed Luke and soon they were sitting at the table and Luke was taking food out of the bag and passing it around. When he pulled out a fifth cheeseburger, Anakin looked at his son questioningly. “There’s only four of us, Luke. Why five cheeseburgers?”

“Because Leia was supposed to be here already and I don’t know why I thought she would be anything but late,” Luke said, sitting down and reaching for his fries. “Oh well. She can eat cold food. I don’t care.”

Padmé grinned. “Leia is coming as well.”

“Yes,” Mara said. “We thought it would be a nice surprise for you.”

“It’s a wonderful surprise,” Padmé replied. “I didn’t think I would get to see you until next Sunday.”

Luke smiled at her. “Well, Mara and I will just have to do this more often. Leia probably won’t. She’s too busy pretending to be an actress.”

“Don’t speak about your sister like that,” Anakin admonished. “She is pursuing her dreams the same way you are pursuing yours.”

“Tell me how your classes are going,” Padmé said to change the subject. “And please tell me I get another painting to hang up in here soon. I love displaying your work.”

Luke started talking about his classes, Mara chimed in with information about her own, and Leia eventually showed up and complained that her food was cold. As Luke, Mara, and Leia bantered back and forth about why the food was cold, Anakin reached across the table and squeezed Padmé’s hand. 

It would only last for a little while that night, but it felt like home again.


End file.
